1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the information processing apparatus loaded with the first operating system and the second operating system whose function is limited as compared with the first operating system, and the technology of quickly activating the second operating system.
2. Description of the Related Art
An information processing apparatus represented by a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as PC) has been provided with an increasing number of functions, and an increasing number of products have recently been loaded with AV facilities for processing both video and audio. Most of the information processing apparatuses loaded with AV facilities can be used as AV domestic electric appliances such as television (TV) receivers, recorders, players, etc.
The AV facilities can be loaded into exclusive hardware capable of performing all necessary processes for realizing the facilities. However, such hardware requires a very high cost. Therefore, most of the information processing apparatuses implement the AV facilities by preparing hardware for performing a specific process and application software (hereinafter referred to simply as an application) for performing other processes partly to reduce a production cost.
An information processing apparatus normally operates by activating basic software called operating system (hereinafter referred to as “OS”). Thus, a normal application is generated based on the operation using an OS including those for AV facilities. The software (program) executed by the information processing apparatus is normally stored in a non-volatile storage device, for example, a hard disk device.
The software stored in a storage device is read to memory and activated. The activation requires some time, and the larger the software, the longer the necessary time. Since a recent OS is provided with many functions, it takes a relatively long time. Therefore, an information processing apparatus which has not activated an OS takes a long time to be able to utilize AV facilities.
To shorten the required time, the functions to be loaded can be restricted. In the present example, just for convenience, the OS for which loaded functions are restricted is called an “instant OS” or a “second OS”, and a normal OS is called a “general-purpose OS” or a “first OS”.
The above-mentioned instant OS is normally read to memory and activated by the occurrence of a specific activation event in a power disconnection (S5) state or in an inactive (S4) state. The activation event occurs by an operation on a predetermined switch provided, for example, on a remote control device (hereinafter referred to as an “RC”).
FIGS. 1A and 1B are explanatory views showing the necessary time for transfer from the activation of the instant OS to the state in which the AV facilities can work. The state in which the AV facilities can work is, for example, a state in which a TV broadcast can be given. FIG. 1A shows a case in which a notebook PC is used. FIG. 1B shows a case in which a desktop PC is used.
As shown in FIG. 1A, if a specific activation event occurs in the power disconnection (S5) state or in the inactive (S4) state, the information processing apparatus (PC) first displays the screen P1 for notification of activation. Afterwards, the screen P2 for notification of a read of an instant OS, and its menu display screen P3 are displayed. The screen P4 for receiving a TV broadcast can be displayed by selecting the reception of a TV broadcast on the menu display screen P3. As shown in FIG. 1B, this holds true with the desktop information processing apparatus (PC).
A notebook information processing apparatus takes about 12 seconds to transfer from the power disconnection (S5) state to the state in which a TV broadcast can be received. In the meantime, a desktop information processing apparatus takes about 23 seconds to transfer to the desired state. The activation time required to transfer to the state is longer for a desktop information processing apparatus. However, as compared with the case in which a general-purpose OS is activated, the activation time is considerably shorter. The activation time of the desktop information processing apparatus is longer because a hard disk device larger than the hard disk device of the notebook information processing apparatus, that is, because a hard disk device requiring a longer activation time, is loaded.
By activating an instant OS, the AV facilities can be more quickly used. However, AV domestic electric appliances can be normally used immediately after power is applied. Thus, if the information processing apparatus is to be used as an AV domestic electric appliance, then the AV facilities have to be further improved for quick start.
A facility for quicker start can be a resume (power saving control) function (Japanese Published Patent Application No. Hei 10-97353, Japanese Published Patent Application No. Hei 9-237128, Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2004-152304, and Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2002-99502). The resume function is to store data in memory and transfer the data to a power saving state, thereby enabling the data to recover to the originally activated state. The resume function can be a “hibernation” function of copying data in memory to a hard disk device, a “suspend” function of storing the data in memory in a power saving mode. The suspend function is also referred to as a “standby” function.
If the state in which an instant OS is activated is transferred by the resume function to the standby state or the hibernation state, and returned to the original state, then the AV facilities can be more quickly used. However, unlike the general-purpose OS, the conventional instant OS is not loaded with the function of using the resume function. Therefore, a transfer to a hibernation state and a standby state has been performed on the condition set in the BIOS.
In the transfer performed on the condition set in the BIOS, a user cannot immediately transfer the state with desired timing. When an instant OS is loaded with a function of using the resume function, a user can use the resume function with desired timing but with the instant OS activated.
It is not necessary for a user that has activated a general-purpose OS to activate an instant OS, and it is difficult to correctly predict in advance the next OS to be activated. With these conditions taken into account, it is necessary to protect a user against a troublesome operation of newly activating an instant OS only as an operation which may not be necessary. However, since a user cannot predict when an instant OS is to be activated, it is necessary to maintain the state of quickly activating the OS.